KRG Reports Significant Progress in Mine Clearance Operations
"Our specialized teams have successfully cleared 315,224 square meters within Erbil province's jurisdiction during 2024," the KRG's Mine Action Agency reported.
Jan. 12, 2025
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Kurdistan Region’s Mine Action Agency has achieved considerable progress in demining operations throughout 2024, while carrying out a wide-ranging awareness program targeting vulnerable populations in mine-affected areas, according to official statements released Sunday.
In a press conference held in Soran, Director General of the Agency Ali Abdulrahman offered detailed operational statistics for the previous year's demining activities, stressing the strategic significance of civilian protection measures.
"Our specialized teams have successfully cleared 315,224 square meters within Erbil province's jurisdiction during 2024," Abdulrahman reported.
"Additional surveying operations have covered 24,745 square meters for mine detection purposes," he added.
Abdulrahman provided specific data about ordnance removal, stating, "Operations resulted in the neutralization of 1,519 anti-personnel mines, eight anti-tank mines, and two implanted explosive devices."
"The retrieval of 12,927 unexploded ordnance items has been completed," Abdulrahman revealed.
"Furthermore, eight cleared fields, totaling 650,670 square meters, have been successfully returned to their rightful owners," he highlighted.
These demining operations signify a critical component of the Kurdistan Region's post-conflict recovery efforts, addressing the legacy of multiple historical conflicts that have left considerable portions of territory contaminated with explosive remnants of war.
The newly announced awareness program targeting schools and rural communities near minefields showcases a wide-ranging approach to civilian protection, combining active clearance operations with preventive educational measures.
The Kurdistan Region still grapples with extensive mine contamination from various historical conflicts, including the Iran-Iraq War, the Gulf War, and internal conflicts, requiring constant clearance operations to ensure civilian safety and enable economic development in affected areas.